Bath float



Sept. 21, 1937. J, HINDLE' 2,093,964

` BATH FLOAT Filed June 5, 1935 Zea (Z'JZQINVENTOR ATTOR N EY Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a bath oat for aiding a person in bathing an infant and has for the primary object the provision of a buoyant device of the above stated character which may be readily adapted to an infant and will maintain the infants head above the surface of the water of a tub or other bathing receptacle leaving the persons hands free to bathe the infant and will permit the infant to have freedom of movement of the arms and legs so that the infant may thrash about in the water to obtain desirable exercise and enjoyment from the bath and will further provide head protection to the infant by preventing the infants head from, striking or .coming in contact with the tub during the playing movements of the infant.

With these and other objects in View, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a bath suit constructed in accordance with my invention and applied to an infant occupying a position within a bath receptacle.

Figure 2 is a plan View, partly in section, illustrating the bath suit.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I indicates a bath suit especially adaptable to infants and includes a head portion 2 and a back y portion 3 of integral construction. The portions 2 and 3 are chambered or recessed, as shown at 4, so that the head, shoulders and a portion of the back of an infant may rest therein. Head straps 5 are provided to the head portion 2 and extend about the head of the infant. A waist strap B including detachably connected sections is secured to the back portion 3 and passes about an infant under the arms. Any suitable securing means may be employed for the straps so that they can be easily and quickly applied and removed from the infant. The suit when applied to the infant, as shown in Figure 1, will support the infant with the face above the surface of the water in a bath receptacle 'l leaving the arms and legs free so that the infant may thrash the arms and legs in the Water to obtain desirable exercise and amusement. The bath suit is constructed of any material suitable for the purpose and is chambered, as shown at 8, to receive 5 air under pressure thereby rendering the suit inflatable. A suitable inflating valve 9 is provided for the chamber 8. The bath suit when inflated is of a greater thickness in the portion 2 than in the portion 3 so that the portion 2 supporting the head of the infant will have greater buoyancy and thereby maintain the face of the infant above the surface of the water. The portion 2 extends well about the head of the infant and over the ears so as to protect the infants head from coming in contact with the bathing receptacle. 'I'he portion 2 being inflatable will provide an effective cushion for the infants head so that the infant when thrashing or moving about in the bath receptacle will be protected and prevented from injury.

The head straps 5 are preferably three in number detachable from one another and a pair cooperate in encircling the head by passing over the forehead of the infant while the other strap has a loop to receive one of the straps of the pair and extends over the crown of the head. 'I'he head straps efficiently connect the portion 2 to the head of the infant so that there is no danger of the suit slipping off of the infant or the infants head becoming free from the portion 2 of the suit.

A device of the character described is easily adaptable to an infant and will efficiently support an infant in water of a bathing receptacle with the face well above the surface of the water, leaving the person free to employ both hands for bathing the infant.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A head and shoulder support for an infant comprising an inflatable member comprising head and shoulder portions to engage with the back of an infants head and back adjacent the shoulders and exposing the remainder of the infants body to permit washing thereof and adapted to float the infants head with the face above the surface of the water, a body strap secured to the shoulder portion to encircle the infants body below the arms, and straps secured to the head portion to pass about the infants head, said member when inflated having a greater thickness at the head portion thereof whereby to maintain the infants head above the plane of the torso thereof when in a reclining position.

2. A head and shoulder support for use in bathing an infant comprising an inflatable member having a concave head and shoulder receiving wall, a pair of alined body straps carried by the lower portion of the member, a pair of alined head straps carried by the opposite edges of the member at the head thereof, and a supporting strap secured at one end to the head portion of the member and disposed at right angles to said pair of head straps and provided at the free end thereof with a guide loop to loosely receive one of said pair of head straps to thereby maintain said pair of head straps in adjusted position across the forehead of the infant.

LEO J. HINDLE, 

